THE WORK OF THE FOREST DEPARTMENT IN INDIA. ^5 



plantations of the Punjab which will cover 60,000 acres on the 

 completion of the current scheme for the formation of fuel 

 plantations for the canal colonies, and of which the largest, 

 Changa Manga, commenced in 1866-67, now has an area of 9,605 

 acres, the rubber (Ficus elastica) plantations of Assam, the exotic 

 plantations of the Nilgiris, chiefly eucalyptus and Australian 

 acacias, aggregating 1,639 acres, the babul plantations of Sind 

 and Berar, the teak and other plantations of Bombay, the coni- 

 ferous and other plantations of the Punjab, United Provinces, 

 and the Bengal Himalayas, the plantations of mangrove, 

 Para rubber, padauk and teak in the Andamans, and many 

 others of various kinds in different localities. The total area 

 of plantations under the Forest Department on the 1st July 

 1915 amounted to 150,210 acres. It is to be noted that the 

 gradual introduction of methods of concentrated working is 

 likely to lead to a considerable extension of regeneration by 

 artificial means. 



Protection. The protection of the forests from injury by 

 fire, illicit grazing, felling, lopping and other abuses, the protec- 

 tion of game and fish, and the prevention of theft of timber and 

 other produce both in the forest and during transit, form an 

 important branch of the forest officer's duties. Fire protection 

 in particular imposes a very severe tax on the forest staff, who 

 require to be constantly on the alert throughout the hottest time 

 of the year, preventing the occurrence of fires and extinguishing 

 any which may arise. Protection from fire is generally pro- 

 vided for by dividing the forest into blocks of convenient size 

 T)y cleared fire-lines, which act partly as checks to the spread of 

 fire and partly as bases for counter-firing, and by the appoint- 

 ment of special patrols during the fire season. 



Exploitation may be effected by one of two main agencies, (1) 

 departmental or (2) purchasers or consumers. In the former 

 <;ase the felling, extraction and collection of the produce at recog- 

 nised sale depots is carried out under the direct agency of the 

 Forest Department : sales are made by auction, tender or at fixed 

 .rates and the price realized is credited directly to Government. 

 In the latter case the produce is cut, collected and removed by, 

 the purchasers or consumers themselves, the purchase price or 

 -royalty being realized in various ways according to local usage : 



